Q&A

Sydney Setree: What is your name?

Lionel Owona: My name is Lionel Owona.

Sydney Setree: So Lionel, where were you born?

Lionel Owona: I was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Sydney Setree: Do you miss Cameroon?

Lionel Owona: I miss Cameroon sometimes.

Sydney Setree: What do you miss the most?

Lionel Owona: My family and my friends.

Sydney Setree: How is your home town different from the United States?

Lionel Owona: Here the houses, the roads, the food are different.

Sydney Setree: Was it hard to adjust to all the changes in the United States?

Lionel Owona: It wasn’t so hard because it was the same thing when I was in Cameroon.

Sydney Setree: What was the hardest thing to adjust to?

Lionel Owona: I really didn’t find it hard. I just have to learn to speak English well.

Sydney Setree: Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Lionel Owona: I have two brothers and two sisters at home.

Sydney Setree: Did any of them come to the United States with you?

Lionel Owona: I am with my two brothers here.

Sydney Setree: Are you the youngest, the middle child, or the oldest in your family?

Lionel Owona: I’m the youngest brothers of my family.

Sydney Setree: What grade are you in?

Lionel Owona: I am in 9th grade.

Sydney Setree: What was your first language?

Lionel Owona: My first language is French.

Sydney Setree: When did you come to the United States?

Lionel Owona: I came to the United States in July.

Sydney Setree: Why did you decide to come to the United States?

Lionel Owona: I decide to come to come to the United States to get the best education.

Sydney Setree: Are you glad you came to the United States?

Lionel Owona: I’m very happy today here.

Sydney Setree: Where do you go to school?

Lionel Owona: I go to John Carroll.

Sydney Setree: Do you like John Carroll?

Lionel Owona: I like John Carroll so much.

Sydney Setree: What subject do you like the most?

Lionel Owona: What I like the most algebra.

Sydney Setree: What subject do you like the least?

Lionel Owona: I really like all my subjects at John Carroll.

Sydney Setree What subject do you find the easiest? Why?

Lionel Owona: Algebra because I’m pretty good at it.

Sydney Setree: What subject is the hardest for you to do well at?

Lionel Owona: The hardest subject is Catholic Church because I’m still learn the bible.

Sydney Setree: What are the differences between American schools and schools in your home town?

Lionel Owona: American school is easier than the school in my home town.

Sydney Setree: Is there anything in the United States that you have particularly liked?

Lionel Owona: I like basketball at John Carroll.

Sydney Setree: Do you still speak your first language at home or with family and friends?

Lionel Owona: Yes, I do speak my first language at home with my family and my friends.

Sydney Setree: In the United States have you found any use for your primary language?

Lionel Owona: Not really.

Sydney Setree: How did you learn English?

Lionel Owona: I did learn English in watching the T.V. in English.

Sydney Setree: What is the most difficult thing about learning English?

Lionel Owona:  The most difficult when you learn English is to speak well.

Sydney Setree: How long did it take you to be able to speak English fluently?

Lionel Owona: Three months.

Sydney Setree: Would you say you’re fluent in English now?

Lionel Owona: Not fluent but I can say I understand and can speak English well.

Sydney Setree: Do you think it’s easier to communicate with English or French?

Lionel Owona: For French and English are similar because we have many words in English that we find in French.

Sydney Setree: Have you benefitted in any ways from learning English?

Lionel Owona: Yes I did.

Sydney Setree: In what ways?

Lionel Owona: Speaking, reading and listening.

Sydney Setree: When do you plan on leaving the United States to go back home?

Lionel Owona: I don’t decide yet.

Sydney Setree: Do you think you’ll continue to speak English when you get back home?

Lionel Owona: I will because English will be my second language.

Sydney Setree: Are you going to be excited to go back home?

Lionel Owona: I’ll be very excited when I’m going to get back home.

Sydney Setree: Will you miss anything from the United States?

Lionel Owona: I will miss everything to the United States but I’ll stay here for a long time.

Sydney Setree: What will you miss the most?

Lionel Owona: My friends here.